Monday, January 7, 2013

Weight Loss Weekly - Week 1

Well, it's been a whole week of doing Weight Watchers. For the most part it's been fairly easy. So easy that there were three days I didn't eat all my points. Which is technically not the way this is supposed to work. However, I more than made up for that yesterday - I ate all my daily points and all but 10 of my weekly "freedom" points (the points you're allotted each week for when you splurge or have a day out or whatever).

Despite my mega splurge yesterday, I lost 3.9 pounds last week! It's not a lot, but I'm still excited that I'm making progress.

While I didn't keep a daily food log to post on here for you (I do log it, but online or via my phone to the WW points tracker), I'll break it down some. I'm allowed 39 points a day in regular foods. It's one of the things I love about doing the Weight Watchers program. You truly can eat whatever you want...it's just more about portion control. And you do need to focus on eating the right things, too. But it helps knowing that if I want a cookie or a piece of cake, I can have it (in moderation). I also have 49 extra points to use during the week. These are used when I go over my daily points (like yesterday) to give a little cushion.

Now, I've been weighing myself every day this week because I want to see the daily changes. This kind of gives me an idea of what works and what doesn't. And I discovered something that DOES NOT work for me - using my weekly points all in one day (like yesterday). When I weighed in yesterday morning I had lost 4.9 pounds. Then Mr S and I had two meals out (we were supposed to be at Disneyland yesterday, but because of the weather our plans to meet up with friends was cancelled and we had not prepared anything for back up meals at home). Those two meals cost me all of my daily points and most of my weekly splurge points. They also cost me a pound gained. While the weekly splurge points are there as cushion, I am not one who can use them and see the same results as if I didn't.

Another thing that helps is activity points. Depending on the exercise and the amount of time you do it, you can earn points. For example, a 20 minute walk on the treadmill set to 3MPH gives me an extra 2 points to use (if I want). I don't have to use them. And I can set my system up to pull from Activity Points before pulling from the weekly splurge points (which I do).

One of my biggest issues, no and in the past, has been meal planning. I need to eat healthy, low points food...but I need to make things Mr S will eat, too! I still haven't set a week's plan in place, and I probably won't until there is a little more grocery money (and we have food we can use right now). Eating healthy is not cheap!! But, with the help of a couple friends that are also on WW, we've found some various websites that have A TON of great, healthy recipes! Here's some of the sites I've been pulling from:

Emily Bites
Hungry Girl
Skinny Taste
Spark People Recipes

I've done three recipes from Emily Bites:  Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes, Slow Cooker Taco Chili, and Four Cheese Sausage Stuffed Shells. All have been approved my Mr S! In fact, the Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes will be making a reappearance today in honor of the BCS Championship Bowl Game! And since I'm making them again, I'll actually take pictures and post the recipe later (maybe tomorrow).

Since this post has gotten way longer than planned, I'll end here. Next week will be shorter with my weigh in, what I did this week as far as points usage and activity points, and a new recipe I tried this week. And I'll also include a goal for the following week.

Goal for this week:  8-10 Activity points earned!

To all those who are on this weight loss journey, regardless of the plan you're on, I hope you meet all the goals you've set for your self!
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